Report: Assad regime using Israeli drones against Syrian rebels
Activists living in the coastal province of Latakia have alleged that Israeli made drones have been scouring the skies throughout Syria collecting information on rebel positions.
By YASSER OKBI/ MAARIV HASHAVUAUpdated: FEBRUARY 29, 2016 10:10Hermes 900 drone(photo credit: IDF)
Opposition rebel forces battling against the military of Syrian President Bashar Assad claimed on Monday that Damascus was employing the use of Israeli drones in order to collect information against insurgent forces after publishing pictures to Syrian social media websites.Activists living in the coastal province of Latakia who oppose the Assad regime allege that Israeli made drones have been scouring the skies throughout Syria collecting information on rebel positions.According to Syrian social media websites, activists suspect Israel sold the drones to Russia who have in turn handed them over to the Syrian military.This is not the first time Syrian opposition forces have claimed that the Assad regime was employing Israeli technology during the years-long bloody civil war. In March of 2012, a year after fighting began in the embattled country, Turkish sources speaking to London based newspaper Asharq al-Awsat said that Turkish intelligence had identified Israeli drones being used on Syrian soil, which were "gathering information on rebel activities."According to the report, the Assad regime's use of Israeli drones presented three possibilities: Israel is cooperating militarily with the Assad regime, who also works with the Lebanese based terror group Hezbollah; Israel is assisting in gathering intelligence for Assad; or Russia is purchasing Israeli drones then transferring them to the Syrian Army.